Nordic leaders call for de-escalation following U.S. strikes on Iran

HELSINKI, June 22 (Xinhua) — Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on Sunday urged de-escalation, restraint, and a return to diplomatic dialogue following U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
“The government is closely monitoring developments after last night’s attacks on Iran’s nuclear weapons program,” Kristersson wrote on the social media platform X. He emphasized the importance of halting the spiral of violence in the Middle East, adding that “de-escalation, restraint, and a return to talks and diplomacy are now of utmost importance.”
In Finland, President Alexander Stubb described the U.S. strikes as being “of exceptional scale.” In a post on X, he stated, “The spiral of vengeance in the Middle East must come to an end. A sustainable solution requires diplomacy, dialogue, and respect for international law.” Stubb added that Finland would closely monitor the situation.
Former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt expressed strong disapproval of framing the U.S. strikes as self-defense and argued that the actions violated international law, reported the Swedish Television.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the United States had carried out attacks on three nuclear-related sites in Iran: Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. Enditem